Have you heard about the plan China has been using to lower its air pollution prior to the Olympic games?
They have been implementing restricted driving, allowing people with plates whose last number is even to drive one day, people whose last number is odd to drive the next. In addition, they've curtailed some factory production to cut pollution.
While I am ecstatic that the officials in China are doing this in an attempt to lower air pollution so that the number of athletes competing while wearing face masks is at a minimum, I'm also a bit astounded they haven't been doing this all along. I mean, as terrible as it is to see a bunch of athletes developing asthma because they're competing in an area with dirty air, its also terrible that there are MILLIONS of people who breathe in this air year round, when both even and odd licence plates are allowed to drive on the roads.
While I'm not the biggest fanatic about global warming and I have room for improvement when it comes to sorting garbage from recycling, I do believe pollution is something that everyone should be wary of and do something to limit. Even if you can't do everything that is recommended you can do something, and something is better than nothing.
China is one of the biggest countries in the world, both in size and population. Many believe it will emerge as the new global powerhouse in #?# years. I'm glad that America is pushing the stop pollution/littering agenda with its own citizens, but China and India are huge contributors to global pollution as well, and it is discouraging to see what little is being done there.
Well, I mentioned littering. I have heard that the big cities in China are immaculately clean, so I have to give them credence for that. I have heard that there are little old men on bicycles that go up and down the streets, and as soon as they see some litter they sweep it into a bin on the back of their bikes. San Francisco could DEFINITELY learn from that example. So go China for that. Not only are your streets clean, but you've created jobs and pushed back the retirement age. Go you.
On the other hand though, the sheer number of inhabitants, many of whom smoke and drive and probably use aerosol hair spray is enormous. I think China has some responsibility to set a global example here and implement some pollution cut-back policies for the sake of its citizens. I'm not sure what they can do without losing money for decreased production of Made in China stickers, but even if it is only to continue the even/odd driving days...well, at least that is something.
Pollution Revisited
Posted by Amy on 7/28/2008
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I had a different reaction to the news about China implementing driving restrictions. I thought, "Hmm, here is another example of the government trampling on the rights of the people". Sure, I am all for limiting pollution. But, saying that you can only drive on certain days seems extreme. Also, curtailing factory production affects industry and the ability of workers/companies to make money. Granted, China isn't exactly the capitalistic, democratic country that the U.S. is, but it makes me uncomfortable that freedoms of Chinese people would be restricted for the benefit of other countries (and for the benefit of China, who stands to make a lot of money off the Olympics). I suppose some would say "Extreme situations call for extreme measures" (like drought causes water restrictions where we can only water on certain days), but I'm just not comfortable with this kind of interference into people's lives.
I think China has some responsibility to set a global example here and implement some pollution cut-back policies for the sake of its citizens.
I agree with this statement, but I think the solution is better technology or production practices.
Regarding the recycling link to pollution, with today's technology the only goods economically advantageous to be recycled are paper and soda cans. That is, if you don't count in government subsidies in the calculation. So it turns out that recycling the mass majority of materials actually produces more pollution than simply making more of it from scratch.
Excuse me for not including my sources. If anyone wants an example just post so and I'll find them. (It's been a while since I looked at them.)
m for m, I'd love to see your sources. I try to not use plastics anyways, but, when I have to, I take some comfort in the thought that they'll be recycled.
Stephanie - come on - that is not trampling - that is causing some carpools to go on, so that maybe that carpool lane can be a little less barren on the freeway during rush hour. This is exactly the sort of thing that governments EVERYWHERE should be doing. In fact, it's ingenious - all it absulutely demands is that there is some cooperation between neighbors. Think about of emissions that could be reduced -and, gas prices - geeze, what a good idea. Just when I thought I couldn't stand the Chinese government. Mybe I'll give them a second chance - provided they keep this "trampling of freedoms" implemented after the olympics.
I've thought alot about how to help governments such as China, India, and Brazil to be more careful with their resources, and to be more responsible for the polution and harm they are dishing out to the planet. Really, it's hard for us to do much, because they aren't immediately threatening the lives and saftey of the rest of the world. We can't resonably immplement economic sanctions or anything like that. But, I feel that if the US were to become the leader in environmental issues, perhaps we'd gain some respect, and it would be some positive peer pressure for these other countries.
all it absulutely demands is that there is some cooperation between neighbors
That's kind of the problem. Who is government to demand cooperation between neighbors?
I feel that if the US were to become the leader in environmental issues, perhaps we'd gain some respect, and it would be some positive peer pressure for these other countries.
Well, yeah, I would agree with this - provided the government doesn't "demand" things out of me in order to become a world leader. Setting an example. Positive peer pressure. Incentives. Those are appropriate ways for governments to attempt to change behavior.
Rick, let's use your comment on the parental rights thread in this context:
who decides what harms society as a whole? This is a completely nebulous concept . . . In fact, I think that is what politics is all about. People with different points of view try to promite their ideas of what harms society and what helps it - and then to legislate those ideas. Though this is what politicas has become, it is NOT what it should be. The constitiution and the bill of rights were developed to ensure that our governmental representatives, with their benevolent ideas of right and wrong did NOT force said ideals upon their subjects for the greater good of society.
In this case, it appears that you are okay with the government forcing people to drive every other day to reduce pollution. Doesn't that pretty much fly in the face of your assertion that special interest groups should not legislate their own ideas of what harms society in a way that forces said ideals on individuals?
My husband conference called with one of his colleagues who is in China right now. He said the license plate rule is a pain, but it is easy to get around. You just get two cars with different last numbers and drive each one every other day.
Also, Amy, you'll be happy to know that here in the U.S. several cities have fines if you don't recycle in order to ensure compliance.
What? That is ridiculous. FINES?????
Why can't people just teach others to be responsible and caring without financial incentives? People are so materialistic and financially motivated. Drives me nuts sometimes.
No, stephanie - I'm not talking about harming society - I don't necessarily think that increased car emissions causes direct harm to society (well I do, but not in the way that you'd think). I think it causes direct harm to the earth and her resources - which is someting that I am ALL IN FAVOR OF governmental legislation to prevent.
Where I live in Norway it takes us about 3 weeks to fill up 1 shopping bag with garbage because almost everything is recycled. Food scraps can't be thrown in with garbage, they have to be put into paper bags supplied by the local gov't and put into a separate container for pick-up to where they are then put into compost. All plastics have to be washed and placed into a plastic sack for pick-up. Paper is thrown into paper recepticles, as well as glass/metal, styrofoam, even garden clippings such as branches and wood are sent to compost. All electrical items are delivered to a separate area: computers, TV's, batteries, lightbulbs, kitchen appliances, household appliances. Lastly, a separate area for containers that have held chemicals such as paint, spray cans, etc. I haven't heard of fines for non-compliance, but they won't take your garbage if it's not done properly, so I guess your option is either compliance or being overrun by your own garbage. I can't really say like I feel that the gov't is restricting my freedom. I like the fact that there is so little waste and the result is a cleaner environment.
Back in Canada, recycling was so-so. Pretty good for glass and metal, but lousy on plastics. And non-existent for compost materials.
My brother lives in MI and there is absolutely no recycling in their area, unless you count bottles that have a deposit. Glass, metal, plastic, food -- everything is thrown directly into the garbage. So my brother and his wife sort their garbage and bring it to Canada to be recycled whenever they visit my parents.
If people can be fined for littering on the street, why shouldn't they be fined for recycling non-compliance where facilities are available? Not sending the waste to where it's supposed to go just makes it more difficult to maintain a clean environment.
As someone already pointed out, recycling does pollute. It takes energy to recycle. Remember the 3 "R"'s of recycling? Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. We usually forget the first two. But the danger of not recycling is that A) the stuff just piles up, and B) some items are toxic to the environment, such as batteries, computers, certain chemicals. We need to remember that first "R."
but they won't take your garbage if it's not done properly, so I guess your option is either compliance or being overrun by your own garbage
Consequences like this make sense. I would not be opposed to that.
One of the best things I ever learned from my grandmother, who grew up during the Great Depression, was this: she reuses and recycles almost everything herself, within her own house! Look at her sewing room: things are sorted and kept in washed margerine containers. Look at the kids' toy closet: everything is sorted according to size or type and is put in the old plastic peanut butter buckets or other containers that once held food in a grocery store shelf. My grandfather's favorite pair of jeans has about 21 patches all over them, but you have to get about 2 inches away to see because my grandmother saves old holey stained clothing so she can make patches that match in color and texture. They have always saved their kitchen scraps for their own compost pile next to the garden, which then gets used for actual gardening. The list could go on.
To me, recycling is more about reusing your own waste rather than just chucking it into differently labeled containers. I think that if we as a people (global people) creatively reused things then it would have a positive impact on the economy (especially our own personal bank account) as well as teach creativity and responsibility.
My grandma always tells me that if another depression hits people will be harder hurt than her generation, because her generation was used to reusing things on farms, making their own clothes, etc whereas the younger generations today have no idea how to do anything other than consume. I think she's got a valid point there.
PS. FD, we just got back from Vancouver and visiting friends in Victoria, and they showed us their compost pile, and mentioned how they've always had compost piles in that area of Canada. Perhaps creating your own compost has more to do with where you live (ie. space for a yard) than government incentive?
Yeah, my old neighbour back in Canada had his own compost pile. I had never heard of community compost via municipal gov't in Canada, but it's possible that it exists now. Facilities vary from place to place. Community compost was a new thing for me when I came to Norway. They're much better with it here. It's so easy, clean and convenient, it would be more of a hassle not to do it because you'd have smelly, messy garbage.
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